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Risk assessment of sunflower, soy, rapeseed & co.

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What you need to consider in case of changes in raw material sourcing of oilseeds, vegetable oils and lecithin

June 2022.When replacing raw materials on a short-term basis, such as sunflower oil with rapeseed or soybean oil, as well as when switching to other countries of origin when sourcing oilseeds, some important aspects need to be considered in the risk assessment:

  • Risk control: What are the respective cultivation and approval situations in the countries? Does sourcing take place via traders or directly from the manufacturer? (Complexity of the supply chain)
  • Analysis parameters: What are the differences in the specific analytical parameters of the new raw materials? (Residues & contaminants, GMOs, chemical composition & value-determining components, authenticity)
  • Labelling check, allergens: Is there an impact on the labelling of the products?
  • Supplier audits: What is the certification status of the supplier? How to audit and evaluate new suppliers?

Risk control

Our team of experts will support you in developing your risk control plan. In doing so, the specific characteristics of the raw material as well as the cultivation situation and the applicable legal regulations of the country of origin must be taken into account.

Analysis parameters

Each raw material is characterised by its defined quality and analysis parameters. These are also influenced by the specific environmental and cultivation situation in the country of origin. In the following you will find examples of relevant analysis parameters for vegetable oils and oilseeds:

Residues & contaminants in vegetable oils and oilseeds

The examination of residues & contaminants has a special significance due to their large number:

  • Pesticide residues can be tested by a pesticide multi-screening adapted to oilseeds. In addition, acid herbicides, glyphosate and chlormequat/mepiquat should also be checked.
  • Residues of storage pesticides in relation to oilseeds in general can be fumigants such as phosphane, bromide and ethylene oxide. These residues may originate from direct application or as carry-over from treated silos or containers in transit. Changes in the treatment of raw materials can result in an increased microbiological risk (e.g. salmonella) and must be considered separately.
  • The occurrence of mycotoxins is influenced by weather and storage conditions, e.g. Alternaria toxins in sunflower seeds and sesame seeds (see also Monitoring Recommendation of EU Commission 2022/553 of 05.04.2022). Risk-based testing of aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A in oilseed rape and aflatoxins, Ochratoxin A and Fusarium toxins in soya is recommended. For zearalenone in maize germ oil there is a maximum level in the Contaminants Regulation (EC) 2023/915.
  • Tropane alkaloids can end up as botanical contaminants in oilseeds via the harvest. Even though there are currently no limit values for oilseeds, we recommend checking them, e.g. in soy and sunflower seeds.
  • Environmental contaminants can vary in their presence depending on the country of origin and the uptake behaviour of the plants.
    With regard to heavy metals, different limit values for sunflower seeds (0.5 mg/kg) and rape seeds (0.15 mg/kg) have to be taken into account, among others, with regard to cadmium. Cadmium findings usually range depending on the cultivation area and the occurrence in the soil.
    In addition, it is recommended to include dioxins and PCBs in the risk assessment when changing cultivation areas, as contamination via the air pathway (sedimentation of soil particles or other dust on the plants) could play a role (see also our article "Overview of EU maximum levels for PAHs, dioxins and PCBs in edible oils and fats").
  • Other contaminants whose occurrence varies according to oilseed, origin and type of production:
    PAHs are process contaminants that can arise, for example, during the drying and roasting of oilseeds before pressing. The Contaminants Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006 sets a limit for oils intended for consumption as food for benzo(a)pyrene, which is classified as carcinogenic, and for the sum of benzo(a)pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, benz(b)fluoranthene and chrysene.
    3-MCPD esters and glycidyl esters are process contaminants that may be formed during the refining of oils, depending on the oilseed, origin and intensity of processing. Maximum levels for MCPD and glycidyl esters are also regulated in the Contaminants Regulation VO (EG) No. 1881/2006.
    Mineral oil hydrocarbons can enter the product in various ways from cultivation to the finished product. For fats and oils, orientation values have been set in Germany to support minimisation strategies.
GMOs in relation to oilseeds

The various countries of North/Central and South America are important producing countries for soya, rapeseed, sunflower and other oilseeds. In most of these countries, the cultivation of genetically modified plants is widespread and the risk of GMO entry should be assessed accordingly when switching to these countries.

  • Sunflower: No commercial cultivation of genetically modified sunflower is taking place at present. However, there may be a risk of GMO entry via botanical contamination during harvest, transport and storage with rapeseed or soy. This applies in particular to cultivation countries such as Argentina and the USA, where, for example, in 2019, genetically modified soy is cultivated on far more than 90% of the soy cultivation area. In case the oil mills switch between different oilseeds during processing, there is also a risk of GMO contamination when switching between the processing of GM soy, GM rapeseed and sunflowers.
  • Rapeseed: Large-scale cultivation of GM rapeseed is taking place in the producing countries Canada, USA and Australia. In the USA and Canada, the share in 2019 was 100% and 95%, respectively, while it was 27% in Australia (see also "New approval for GM rapeseed 73496").
  • Soy: In the alternative producing countries in North, Central and South America, GM soy is grown on more than 90% of the respective soybean acreage. In Brazil, for example, the GMO share of soybean acreage was 96% in 2019 (see also "New authorisation for GM soy GMB151 and expiry of authorisation for GM soybean 356043-5").
  • Mustard: Ukraine and Russia are important producing countries for mustard. Almost 52% of German imports of mustard seeds recently came from Russia, almost 28% from Ukraine. In Canada, the world's largest producer of mustard, genetically modified rapeseed is cultivated on a large scale. Mustard imports from Canada should therefore be checked for possible cross-contamination with GM rapeseed.
  • Linseed: Ukraine and Russia are important countries for linseed cultivation. When switching to Canada, close monitoring should be carried out for the GM linseed event FP 967. In addition, botanical contamination with rapeseed in linseed is a potential source of GMO entry.
Chemical composition & value-determining components

Various analyses are used to determine the chemical composition & value-determining components in vegetable oils, e.g.

  • sensory profile
  • free fatty acids
  • peroxide value
  • ...etc.
Authenticity of vegetable oils

The authenticity of vegetable oils can be ensured through various procedures and approaches.

  • The determination of identity (100% conformity with the declaration) can be carried out e.g. by means of gas chromatography and NMR analysis.
  • Blending with other oils may be evident by deviations in the fatty acid profile, triglyceride and sterol distribution.

Labelling check

The labelling of foodstuffs is subject to special food law requirements, on which our team of experts will be happy to provide you with product-specific advice. In the event of a short-term change in the use of raw materials, e.g. with regard to a change in the botanical origin of the vegetable oil or lecithin used, this also has an effect on the labelling.

In addition, it is also important to ensure correct labelling of allergens (please see our article "Allergen tests in lecithin") and, if applicable, compliance with the criteria for the claim of the "ohne Gentechnik" (no genetic engineering) seal.

Supplier audits

Harvesting, processing, packaging and storage processes that are different from those used in the past can lead to previously unknown, undesirable entries. For example, the use of other treatment agents, potential migration from the use of new transport or packaging materials or other influences from the direct environment should be checked. This can best be determined by an on-site audit, in which the performance of traceability tests, including a mass balance, is also essential.

Your specialised laboratory for the analysis of vegetable oils

The Eurofins team of experts has comprehensive knowledge of fats and oils and ensures that it is always up to date with the latest information through contact with manufacturers, trade, science, research and professional associations (including DGF, Euro Fed Lipid e.V., FOSFA, GROFOR). You can find an overview of our range of services for the analysis of vegetable oils and fats in our product flyer "Vegetable Oils and Fats".

Contact us

We are pleased to support you with our analytical and consulting services regarding the testing of raw materials for vegetable oils. Contact your personal account manager or reach out to Ulf Rathjens, our expert for GMO analysis or Fabienne Keller, our expert for vegetable oil analysis.

 

Used sources:

[1] https://www.ripleybelieves.com/world-s-top-mustard-seed-producing-countries-10558
[2] https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/handel-konsumgueter/lebensmittel-ukraine-krieg-verschaerft-knappheit-von-senf-und-honig/28191822.html (in German)
[3]
https://www.atlasbig.com/de-de/weltweit-sonnenblumen-produktion (in German)
[4] Anbauzahlen: ISAAA Brief 55: Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2019 and own data
[5] https://www.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/service/presse/pressemitteilung/pid/gentechnische-veraenderungen-in-leinsamen/ (in German)